Weekly roundup: The best way to end a season? State championship

By Tyler Heffernan

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Wando cross country and track star Georgia Compton (left) was named the Optimist Club of Charleston’s female athlete of the year. Ellie James, Bishop England standout in volleyball and basketball (right), was first runner up for that award. PHOTO PROVIDED

The Bishop England boys golf team finished second in the state last season. That wasn’t good enough for the Battling Bishops this season, as they topped defending 2A state champion Pendleton to win the title.

It was a 12-stroke victory for Bishop England at the two-day tournament at Indian River Golf Course held last week. Jeremy Grab finished third individually with a 146, including an opening 69 at the 6,502-yard par 71 course.

Jamie Wilson recorded a score of 152, Patrick Ging had 156 and Wil Sheppard carded a 161. All four players made the all-state team.

Coach John Greavu said last year’s finish was a “key motivating factor.” He added, “Not only were we focused on getting the state title, we understand that we had to top an incredibly talented, defending state champ team that has two of the top-ranked players in the nation.”

Pendleton’s Carson Young and Austin Langdale were ranked No. 12 and No. 20 in a Golfweek poll and both are committed to Clemson. But, the Bishops used depth to win, including Wilson who “stepped up big” as a freshman, Greavu said.

This is Bishop England’s fourth state title in program history. The Bishops have finished second twice.

Greavu said the team felt like it had enough talent to take the 2A title, and in early April, they finished second to Pendleton in the Lowcountry Invitational in Edisto. “It didn’t wake us up,” he said. “It just made us aware that they (Pendleton) would not go down easy.”

SOCCER

Wando

Perhaps overshadowed by the boys soccer team, the Wando girls soccer team operated all season under the umbrella of a No. 1 ranked boys program in the country. But, quietly, the Warriors built their resume and compiled a 19-1-1 record heading into the 4A state championship game against J.L. Mann.

That match was business as usual; Wando won 2-0 over the Upper State representative on Friday. This season, the Warriors outscored their opponents 121-6 and allowed more than one goal only once in a March loss to Lexington. Wando beat Lexington 2-0 in the Lower State title game.

Rachel Torlay and Hannah Ross scored for the Warriors in the state finale in the 4th and 61st minutes, respectively.

Bishop England

Most state championship games include teams with only a handful of losses. The Bishop England boys soccer team, in that aspect, was not the typical contender. But, Battling Bishops coach Ed Khouri loaded his team’s schedule with a gauntlet of state contenders, ultimately helping them to capture the 2A state championship with a 4-3 overtime win over Indian Land, Saturday.

Mateo Gomez had a pair of goals in regulation, and Joel Bunting scored in the 13th minute and in sudden-death overtime to end an exhausting playoff run.

In the Lower State final, Academic Magnet and Bishop England played to a scoreless draw until the Bishops prevailed 3-1 in penalty kicks. It was the first time in three tries this season that the Daniel Island program beat its rivals. Among other Bishop England losses were Wando, Porter Gaud and Pinewood Prep.

Academic Magnet

All season long, the state coaches association poll placed Christ Church No. 1 and Academic Magnet No. 2 in 2A girls soccer.

Turns out the coaches had it wrong. Academic Magnet defeated Christ Church 2-1 with penalty kicks as the decider in the 2A state championship game this past Friday.

Kallie Peurifoy forced overtime with one minute left in regulation, and the Raptors outscored Christ Church 6-4 in penalty kicks after 30 minutes of overtime did not produce a champion. Maegan Reed found the back of the net for the clinching goal.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but visit the Moultrie News YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/TheMoultrieNews to view the pre-game predictions by reporter Tyler Heffernan and his puppy, Charlie, as they picked the winners for the soccer championship games.

BASEBALL

The Bishop England baseball team had won state championships in odd calendar years dating back to 2003. This year, the streak stopped.

The Battling Bishops dropped the first and third games to 2A Upper State champion Chesnee in the state title series last week. After losing the first game on the road 2-1, Bishop England returned home and forced a third game with a 3-0 win.

But, the Bishops lost 5-3 in the deciding contest.

OPTIMIST CLUB

During the 37th annual Optimist Awards Banquet, sponsored by the Optimist Club of Charleston on May 15 at the Charleston Yacht Club, the club honored local female high school student athletes. Criteria included academics, athletics and community service.

Wando cross country and track standout Georgia Compton was named the female athlete of the year. Ellie James, Bishop England volleyball and basketball player, was first runner up. West Ashley’s Dekeiya Cohen was second runner up, as a volleyball, basketball and track and field participant.

All-star teams for volleyball, basketball and track and field were also announced. Longtime Wando volleyball coach Alexis Glover was awarded as the sport’s coach of the year. Natalie Tucker and Mackenzie Lesemann represented the Warriors on the all-star team. James was the lone Bishop England representatives.

Christine Quinn, of Ashley Hall, and Julia McAvoy and Lexis Meyer, both of Porter Gaud, completed the rest of the team.

In hoops awards, West Ashley coach Maria Williams was named coach of the year. Cohen and Jhanice Stokes made the all-star team as Wildcats. Bishop England’s Michele Boykin and Mary Harriet Moore and Goose Creek’s Ashley Fields rounded out the field.

Four female student athletes were named to the track and field all-star team. Michelle Lussier (Bishop England), Jasmine Quinn (Fort Dorchester), Raven Saunders (Burke) and Sarah Lee (Wando) were the recipients. David Lee, of James Island Charter, was awarded coach of the year.

Twitter: @MoultrieNews

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